Suction cleaner



Jan. 9, 1951 F. H. BURMEISTER SUCTION CLEANER Filed March 1'7, 1948 INVEN TOR. Fmd r/b/ f/ flurme/lsfer Patented Jan. 9, 1951 SUCTION CLEANER Frederick H. Burmeister, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Air-Way Electric Appliance Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application March 17, 1948, Serial No. 15,352

This invention pertains to a portable vacuum cleaner but more particularly to th type having replaceable and disposable filter bags.

An object of this invention is to improve the design of a vacuum cleaner so that by new and improved means, a relatively inexpensive open mouth filter bag can be readily installed in proper filtering position in a, manner which is simple and convenient to the operator while at the same time rendering dependable and efficient filtering service.

Heretofore. because oftheir design, vacuum cleaners, which employed the convenient and sanitary principle of using fresh replaceable and disposable filter bags, have required the use of relativel costly types of such filter bags. One type of replaceable and disposable bag frequently employed for filtering the dirt laden air is con structed with a stiff flange portion around its open end for holding the bag in its proper filtering position. This flange portion, which is usually constructed of cardboard or the like, comprises a great part of the total cost of the filtering bag. It is a desideratum to produce a filter bag having the desired features of pOrOsitY and strength but which is considerably less expensive.

In accordance with this invention, a vacuum cleaner structure is produced that will permit the use of relatively inexpensive open mouth filter bags with substantially the. same convenience and efficiency as the mor expensive types of filter bags, including the above mentioned flanged bag.

In one aspect, this invention produces a structure consisting in part of a resilient gasket having a sloping or tapered surface upon which a vacuum cleaner closure cap can snugly engage for air sealing purposes, while at the same time holding the open end portion of a relatively inexpensive open mouther filter bag firmly between the seating surfaces and in proper filtering position.

By way of illustration, but not of limitation, embodiments of the invention are shown on the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a. side elevation vacuum cleaner assembly;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional of a portable view; and

5 Claims. (01. 183-43) which is housed the suction producing fan and motor elements (not shown) Above the casing 1 is a corrugated upright tubular casing 5 for housing the dust collecting filter bag (hereinafter to be described in detail). Around the top outer periphery of the tubular casing is securely fitted an extension ring or collar 2 over which is snugly seated a closure cap 3. In the center of the closure cap is a swivel nozzle I to which a flexible hose with a fioor tool connect-ion (not shown) can be attached. During operation of the vacuum cleaner, the floor tool is moved back and forth over the surface to be cleaned and the dust laden air is sucked through the floor tool and hose and into the vacuum cleaner. When not in use, the flexible hose is stored in a suitable hose reel 6 surrounding the tubular casing 5.

As shown more in detail in Figure 2, the casing ring extension or collar 2 which fits over and abuts firmly against the top of the tubular casing 5 is constructed in its upper face with an annular groove 6a and concentric ridges 'la and 8a. The closure cap 3 is fastened to the casing ringextension 2 by means of a hinge 9 and is releasably held in a closed, position by a latch 10 which is located on the opposite side of the cap from the hinge.

Disposed over and embracing the'inner casing ring ridge 8a is a resilient, annular gasket I8 of rubber or rubber-like material. The gasket is shaped to fit snugly in the groove to and has. a flat top surface 19. substantially horizontal, merging in a downwardly and inwardly sloping or tapered surface 2i which terminates in a ver' tical portion 28a. For seating purposes, the gasket surface portions l9 and 2B are shaped similarly to closure cap seating surfaces on the closure cap 3. Ihe disc it! has around its outer extremity a flat, horizontal portion [5 which ter: minates inwardly in a downwardly and inwardly sloping or tapered portion l6. In the center of disc I2 is an aperture surrounded by a downwardly extending annular flange ,l2a which snugly fits over the lower end portion of an air direction nozzle 13 and abuts firmly in position by its snug engagement-with nozzle I3 and is prevented from being pushed inwardly by the nozzle shoulder Ma.

The upper end portion l4 of the air directing nozzle I3 is flanged so as to provide a lower seating surface for aswivel nozzle l. The flange portion 44. is secured to. a rib m, which depends from the cap 3, by a? series of screws 26. The lower end portion of the swivel nozzle I is flanged is accomplished by having the mouth of an open mouth filter bag 2! bear against the sloping or tapered gasket surface 20. The inner side of the filter bag mouth bears against the sloping or tapered surface It of the closure cap, so that the mouth of the bag is firmly clamped in place, when the cap is in its closed or latched position. Hence, the seating surfaces of the gasket and cap perform the dual function of providing an air-tight seal while at the same time providing a suitable means for securely clamping in proper filtering position a relatively inexpensive open mouth filter bag. The 'filter bag is preferably of suitable sheet material, such as paper, having the necessary characteristics of porosity so that air, but not fine dirt particles, can pass through, as well as strength to withstand the suction as well as the weight. The lower end of the bag (not shown) is suitably closed but since same forms no part of this invention, detail illustration or description is not believed necessary.

A cylindrically shaped wire netting backing member 22 is disposed around the inner side wall 26 of the tubular casing l. This wire netting is of substantially small mesh to prevent the filter bag from conforming to the shape of and abutting against the casing side walls 26. If the wire netting backing member were excluded and the filter bag were allowed to abut against the inside casing wall, the fiow of air from the high to the low pressure side of the filter bag would be restricted and the effective filter bag area would be significantly decreased. To aid in the free passage of air, the corrugated tubular casing 5 is so constructed as to permit the air which passes through the sides of the filter bag to continue unobstructedly through the wire netting and down the corrugated channels in the cas g vwall 26, thejair eventually leaving the vacuum cleaner through a suitable opening in the base 8.

,,,In the alternate form shown on Figure 3, a

disc 30 is formed with an upwardly embossed prising a tubular casing, a cap closing the upper end of said casing, said cap being apertured for the passage of a stream of dust-laden air, a resilient rubber-like gasket on the top periphery of said casing, said gasket having a substantially horizontal fiat surface and a juxtaposed inwardly tapering surface, a disc secured to the underside of said cap, said disc having a substantially flat horizontal rim portion adapted to abut against said fiat gasket surface, and a downwardly and inwardly tapering surface on said disc conformportion 33 having a, central aperture registering the cap aperture. The casing ring extension or collar 34 of Figure 3 is provided with a single annular ridge 35 on which the resilient rubberlike gasket 18 is mounted. Otherwise, it will be apparent that this form closely resembles that shown on Figure 2. 9 It will be manifest that the above vacuum cleaner assembly, while being of simple design,

adequately permits the use of a relatively inexpensive type of open mouth filter bag which can be economically replaced or disposed-of for sanitary purposes. By employing the simple vacuum cleaner structure described above, the filter bags can be readily installed in a manner which is convenient to the operator while at the same time insuring dependable and efiicient filtering service.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and oper- 'What Iclaim is:

, jf ming va uuml a gi as emb y 9!- ing to said gasket tapering surface and for engagement therewith, thereby to clamp the open mouth of a filter bag between said gasket and disc surfaces.

2. A portable vacuum cleaner assembly comprising a tubular casing, a casing ring extension or collar on the top periphery of said casing, a resilient rubber-like gasket embracing the top periphery of said collar, said gasket having a substantially horizontal surface and a juxtaposed inwardly and sloping or tapered surface, a cap closing the upper open end of said casing and seating on said gasket, said cap being apertured for the passage of a stream of dust-laden air, a disc secured to the under side of said cap, said disc having a substantially horizontal rim portion adapted to abut against said horizontal gasket surface, and a downwardly and inwardly sloping or tapered surface on said disc conforming to said gasket sloping or tapered surface and for engagement therewith, thereby to firmly clamp the open mouth of a filter bag between said gasket and disc seating surfaces.

3. A portable vacuum cleaner assembly comprising a tubular casing, a casing ring extension or collar on the top periphery of said casing, a resilient rubber-like gasket embracing the top periphery of said collar, said gasket having a substantially horizontal surface and a juxtaposed inwardly and sloping or tapered surface, a cap closing the upper open end of said casin and seating onsaid gasket, said cap being apertured for the passage of a stream of dust-laden air, a

'= disc secured to the under side of said cap, said disc having a substantially horizontal rim portion adapted to abut against said horzontal gasket surface, a downwardly and inwardly sloping or tapered surface on said disc conforming to said gasket sloping or tapered surface and for engagement therewith, thereby to firml clamp the open mouth of a filter bag between said gasket and disc seating surfaces, a nozzle on the inside of said cap registering with the aperture therein, said disc having a central aperture to receive said nozzle, and shoulders on said nozzle bearing against said disc.

4. A portable vacuum cleaner assembly comprising a tubular casing, a casing collar on the top periphery of said casing, an upstanding wall on said collar, said wall being provided with an annular recess or groove, a horizontal, flatsurface on said wall at the inner side of said roove and a downwardly and inwardly sloping surface juxtaposed to said fiat surface, a resilient rubberlike gasket embracing the top periphery of said collar, said gasket being recessed to provide portions fitting said groove and for abutting against said horizontal and sloping surfaces, said gasket having a substantially horizontal upper surface and a juxtaposed inwardly sloping surface, a cap closing the upper open end of said casing and seating on said gasket, said cap being apertured for the passage of a stream of dust-laden air, a disc secured to the under side of said cap, said disc having a substantially horizontal rim portion abutting against said horizontal gasket surface, and a downwardly and inwardly sloping surface on said disc conforming to said gasket sloping said disc aperture registering with the aperture surface for engagement therewith, thereby firmly to clamp the open mouth of a filter bag between said gasket and disc seating surfaces.

5. A portable vacuum cleaner assembly comprising a tubular casing. a collar on the top pef riphery of said casing, an upstanding wall on said collar, a resilient rubber-like gasket embracing the top periphery of said wall, said gasket hav ing a substantially horizontal flat surface and a juxtaposed inwardly sloping surface, said sloping surface merging in a substantially vertical sur face, a cap closing the upper end of said casing and seating on said gasket, said cap being apertured for the passage of a stream of dust-laden air, a discsecured to the under side of said cap, said disc having a substantially horizontal rim portion abutting-against said horizontal gasket surface, a downwardly and inwardly sloping surface on said disc conforming to said gasket sloping 6, surface and for engagement therewith, thereby firmly to clamp the open mouth of a filter bag between said gasket and disc seating surfaces, an

embossed apertured central portion on said disc,

in said cap, a swivel nozzle fitting saidcap aperture and registering with said disc aperture.

FREDERICK H. BURMEISTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the "ifile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

